Photo Upload News

I've decided to spring for a larger memory account at the photo sharing website, Flickr. By saving this Flickr link, you can see new photos at any time withouth having to read my little musings and ramblings.
Enjoy!

Free to a Good Home

I picked up a copy of the local town newspaper today. I normally don't do this, because the bias and opinions woven through the paper are thicker than a bamboo placemat. But today was worth a chuckle or two.

First, I had heard about these events, but never seen anything in writing about them. Now I know they really do exist. There are local singles dances every month. Each month has a theme: the next is Red, White and Blue; and the one after that is Western ("wear boots and a hat!"). That doesn't sound out of the ordinary (except that it's not for high school students). What is extraordinary about the monthly dances is where they are held.

(wait for it........)

The Humane Society Hall.

There are several directions I could go with this now......but the thoughts that keep popping into my mind are "Needs a Playmate: I am an adventurous, housebroken, well trained kitten! I have all my own claws, earn my own income, make my own bed, can cook, and have my very own truck. If you are looking to add a friendly girl to your life, stop by today!!" (paraphrased from an actual humane society adopt-a-cat ad)

In other news, there were apparently several traffic incidents. I had no idea how many occurred locally, but when every fender bender makes the paper, it seems like a lot. The most interesting one (albeit a fatality, I'm sorry to say) was a collision between an auto and an Amish buggy. Apparently it's not just auto drivers who tend to fall asleep at the wheel and fail to yield.

A Shangri-La

Oringal post: June 23, 2006:
I've recently become a flickr member. I love this website. There are so many groups of photo types - lately, I've been addicted to the global communities. Which got me to thinking.

I live, now, in a small rural town in the midwest. I haven't done that since I was a wee one. But, I decided to do so because the project I'm working on and many of the people I work with are quite interesting. I put a time limit on this project though, because I know I can't live here forever. I've got a couple of years to put in.

Then I thought some more. About the perfect place for me. It would have to have the following qualities:

• diversity: I have learned I cannot live in a town/city of just one type of people
• diversity, part ii: ditto above, but replace "people" with each of the following: "restaurants, grocery availability, culture, political affiliation, and opionion base"
• landscape: can't handle the flat
• weather: needs to have 4 seasons
• wilderness: needs to have proximity; easy access
• airport proximity
• an environmental/ecological culture apparent, even if just barely
• humidity: not so much.
• cultural scene
• economic health: either stable or in recovery mode, at a minimum, but not through the roof (ie, unaffordable)
  

Now, if only there were some sort of metadata portal I could plug these and maybe some other factors into, I'd be set. If you happen to know of such a tool, please send it my way.

UPDATE!!! I've found a website that allows you to indicate your preferences on a broad number of topics, from education to crime to environment to culture. And, while Denver's not at the top of this list for me (comes in at #2), it's close enough!

Postmodernism and the Impact on Critical Thinking

I experienced a brief conversation today that got me to thinking. Baudrillard wrote in Simulacra and Simulation that, essentially, symbolism has replaced fact in the postmodern age - namely, that the symbolism created by present culture and media shape our perception of reality; regardless of factual basis. Like the old saying, if you repeat something often enough, you start to believe it. A couple of things got me to thinking along this line - which is really a tangent for the point of this writing. I think one of the best examples of this are slogans. They are blasted out to a consumer audience with such frequency that, eventually, that audience starts parroting those phrases right back out, but in a larger context, and sometimes, as original thought (once removed from the originating source).

In my conversation earlier today, one person said two things that later, considered through the lens of critical thought, don't really make much sense at all. The first statement that got me to thinking was one we've all heard a million times: "Life is short." We've heard it so frequently, often associated with a carpe diem mentality, that we've accepted it as 'fact'. But consider what that phrase is saying......your, mine, our lives are short. That simply isn't true. Can you think of anything else you'll do that's longer?

The second comment was regarding a recent performance by Bruce Springsteen, covering a Pete Seeger song. I forgot the song, but it has some politically aspiring commentary. My conversant said that musicians shouldn't discuss politics in their songs, that fans just want good songs to sing along to (I suppose "If I Had a Hammer is prohibited in my coworker's musical lexicon). Which got me to thinking....taking this universal syllogism one step further, one could assume then that businessmen shouldn't discuss music; it's not their forte. Unless they're musician/businessmen, and then, I suppose, the world of topics is open to them.

Which brings me back to the simulacra and critical thinking point. I wonder, if we really took the time to consider it, how much in our daily lives is purely constructed symbolism passing itself off - with our perpetuation, of course - as fact? I'm almost afraid to know.

Photog High Noon

Yesterday, I helped with a surprise 50th birthday party for a friend just up the highway from home. This friend is a former direct supervisor, now an indirect one through our nearly simultaneous promotions. And, he's a consummate practical joker. Fortunately, I like to think I am one too, so with the help of his wife and on occasion some co-workers, we've been able to provide him a few "gotcha's" to even up the score a bit. This surprise party was one of them. Everyone should be so lucky to survive to the age of 50, to begin with. But to have such a fan base of friends, co-workers, and family willing to travel across the country to join in a massive surprise effort says as much about the person as it does the friends and family.

I brought two cameras to the event to snap as many photos as I could, and provide them to his family. But, one of the cameras required a little hands-on attention, so I found myself neglecting to use the smaller one. I was lucky to quickly engage the help of Phillip, my co-photog for the day. We were quite a successful tag-team. Phillip has cerebral palsy, which makes coordination for walking a little cumbersome. So, he's got this neat-o scooter, and - being the entrepreneur that most young teenagers are - was offering folks $10 a ride - limit 5 mph, or $10 a photo. I'm not sure how many takers he got! So, I'm not going to post a bunch of birthday pictures here, but I will post the High Noon scenario that Phillip and I played out. With cameras, of course!

And now, for a word from our sponsors......

For those of you who are occasional or regular public radio listeners, or PBS viewers, you probably cringe when pledge time rolls around....seemingly more frequently with time. Well, this Boston Globe article details a plan to reduce public broadcast funding by $115 million dollars, if approved. The funding reduction would eliminate several programs on both PBS and NPR. I can't begin to fathom why funding reductions in this category would significantly help reduce our record deficit, as compared to slashing or eliminating other avenues of legitimately wasteful spending.

In the UK and parts of Europe, people buying new televisions are required to purchase a license, for about $15 (the last time I checked), which directly supports programs like the BBC. Seems like a good idea, in this age of can't-buy-HD-flatscreens-fast-enough. I say we implement something like that here. I'm not necessarily a new tax cheerleader, but let's face it - there is a consumer rush to purchase those flat-panel LCD HD TVs, and Plasma Screens that start at 42 inches. I figure if you can afford to shell out the dough for those options, why not pay an extra $15 to ensure the future of in-depth non-partisan news and educational programming? Maybe that's too much to ask for. In this day and age where we pay pro sports persons millions upon millions to play their games, and in which we continually belt-tighten educational funding and teacher salaries, maybe having intelligent programming options is an insult to a society that doesn't value education. Please prove me wrong.

Sorry, lady - we're full!

I can chalk up one more Ohio experience this weekend from the urban-girl-goes-country category. I have relatives coming to visit over 4th of July week. They include my niece and nephew, who I've enjoyed taking camping in the past. So, we want to do it again when they visit. Simple, yes?

Not really.
I took a Sunday drive to two of the closest "State Parks", down toward Columbus - in almost rolling hill country with lakes. And there, I learned that there is not a spare spot on the ground over 4th of July weekend. When at the first location I was told "we're full", I figured they were referring to RV spots. Even this weekend, there must have been hundreds flitting by the area and filling all the privately owned campground en route. I specified that we'd be "camping", not "RVing", ...you know...pitching tents and sleeping on the ground. Still no luck.

So I went to the second park, about 40 miles from the first, and the same scenario played out. This time, however, the entry "guard" told me that I'd be lucky to find a campsite in all Ohio on 4th of July week.

How on earth can that be?!? It's incredibly frustrating - but, I suppose I should be glad that so many people want to camp/RV in their state. They must be residents, because I can't think of any reason that someone would come to Ohio from another state to camp out.

Maybe my viewpoint is skewed, because I began my camping life in Texas. Well, really in the Netherlands, but was (kind of) living in Texas at the time, where the passion fully bloomed. On any given weekend, I would rather sleep under the stars than indoors, and was able to camp in any number of State Parks within weekend driving range, even with the frustration of having to get in and out of Houston traffic to do so. Never had I encountered a fully-full campground. There were always walk-in sites, that RVing families and car campers are just too lazy to pursue. Not so, apparently, in Ohio.

So, a natural conclusion to jump to is that, as our population grows, so should our set-aside, public land base. There are hundreds of naturalists who have written this sentiment better than I can over hundreds of years, but it seems no one is listening. And so, today, we have full campgrounds, with no apparent decrease in RV or regular camping desires to use them. In contrast, there are several efforts afoot nationally to privatize and/or develop existing public lands, and resolutions to declare several areas as "wildnerness" that have been stalled for years. I can't even get started on describing the current administration's public land (mis) management - my head would explode. But you can read more on that here. And, if you're interested in saving existing public lands, or (please) creating new ones, support your favorite public land office, or you can apply a shot-gun approach at the Trust for Public Land. Minor soapbox moment over.

Ooh, just one more.

Your Linguistic Profile:

60% General American English

25% Dixie

10% Yankee

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

These things are addictive.
I found this one pretty interesting. I was born in Kansas, spent childhood years in Texas and Louisiana, and moved to Texas as soon as I was old enough to get away from Louisiana. One thing I learned after moving to Texas that time was to smooth out the cajunisms I'd picked up in Louisiana.

Don't get me wrong - it's a wonderful place to grow up, because you're surrounded by a rich, cultural tapestry and diversity that is rare to find in many places - and you can play outside all year long. But, there are drawbacks, too. Socio-economic issues aside, one issue for me was language. I have no problem with native Louisianians expressing themselves linguistically, as you do when you inherit the culture. But I was an outsider, whose language obtained a cajun-infused linguistic sheen over time, like mildew on a fallen log. This resulted in, after moving only two hours away, being asked what country I was from - more than once. And, personally, it's hard to take someone seriously when they're speaking in a syrupy southern drawl. It doesn't matter if that person is a Nobel prize-winning physicist, explaining a new technological breakthrough, weyen thay start tawlkin’ liyuk theeyus, I simply tune out.

So I focused on having more of a CNN tone – location of upbringing undetectable. And it worked. In fact, it may have worked too well. It prevented me from speaking appropriate cowboy-ese. Although after listening to “Dub-yah”, maybe that’s not such a bad thing, after all. Keep ‘em guessin’.

At any rate, what I found most interesting is that while, for the most part, my word choices are general Americanese, I have what looks like a contradictory mix of some Yankee, and some Dixie. How I managed to avoid the Midwest phrasings, I don’t know…because, after all, I was born in the Midwest, and recently moved to the Midwest for work. As for the Yankee bit, I’ve only lived in that region a few months – not nearly long enough to pick up the lingo, and make it stick.

Which City Should You Live In???

This is so spot on. Except for the Vegas portion. I've been threatening a Denver relocation for some time. Glad to know that some automated quizmachine agrees with me!

American Cities That Best Fit You::

75% Denver

60% Austin

60% Honolulu

60% Seattle

55% Las Vegas

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

Doppler adventures

I've got an antique camera collection inherited from my grandfather. Many of these old gems are purported to be functional, but I'm slowly making my way through the bunch. So far, my favorite new old acquaintence is an old manual canon ae1. Last night (and every night this week, it seems) we've had "severe thunderstorms" roll through, complete with great lightning, boiling clouds, you name it. Last night, they started around 11 pm, so I thought I'd take the ae1 to the small 1/2 bedroom room upstairs and point it out of the window on a little tripod, and try some time lapse photog. Drawbacks: I've not bought print film in a while so used what I had - some 50 speed b&w. Also, I've not used this camera since returning from overseas - maybe 2 years. Had to refresh myself with a couple of stills in the house. No problem tho, it came back quickly, and the mechanisms all remained functional. The 50 speed b&w was maybe not the best choice for nighttime lightning capture. Anyway, I attached the screw cable thing that you can lock down the photo taking button thingy with, waited just a moment or so for the lightning to spark up (which it then did continuously, the rest of the night!), and locked down the photo taking button thingy. The lightning was intense - lit up the whole neighborhood when it flashed - so I had the shutter locked for about 10 minutes. Never done that before with lightning, but I figured I had all night to play with different time exposures. Anyway, after relasing the shutter after that session, the push down button thingy no longer wants to push down. It's not on lock, and I wound the film. There is nothing automated about the camera at all, and I can't think of any other mechanisms preventing the button thingy from functioning properly.

I've got to make a run to the one and only photo place in town (they specialize in......wedding photos) to take some digital items to print out this weekend and finally put some images on the naked walls. Figured I'd ask them for ideas as well.

One thing I don't mind about the midwest - the weather. It's frequently violent, but only for about 20 minutes or so at a time, and what a sight - unimpeded by any other natural beauty like landscape or mountains. I learned last night a small funnel cloud touched down, only about a mile away from the house. And I was practically up in the attic playing with a camera. Well, I'll take adventure any way it comes.

What the hell !???

I recently learned an interesting thing from my neighbors. One of the children, a young girl, advised me of two different yet equally surprising comments yesterday. The first was that she and her siblings are apparently no longer allowed to come visit at my place, but I was assured it's OK to talk with them when they're out in their yard. I thought this was odd - they used to come over on occasion, sometimes not even to chat, but just to sit in the front porch swing. Sometimes for 5 minutes, sometimes for 20. No big deal, and always outside visits.

I've resigned myself to the thought that this might represent the fear I've had for a few years: being the "weird" lady on the block: lives alone, has cats (thankfully I only have one), has a tattoo or two, is outdoorsy, kind of a loner. In my former fears, this would present itself as a scenario in which the neighborhood kids hit a ball or throw a frisbee that ends up in my back yard (which - horrors! - is fenced). In this scenario, the kids debate who's going to fetch the toy, or worse, knock on the door to ask permission to fetch the toy. "But she's that weird lady who's been all over the place and who has all these weird things from weird places in her house, like statues from Asia! And tatoos! She lives alone! I hear she eats kids who go in her yard!"

Thankfully, as with most fears actualized, it's not as bad as all that. In fact, it's no big deal. I really don't care, but what I have become is really curious about the reasoning behind that decision. It's a small town. The neighbors are in law enforcement. Surely if they suspected I was odd they'd look me up and learn the contrary. I mean, for chrissakes, if anyone on this block is odd, it's my other neighbor - the self-proclaimed intellectual musician and general contractor who doesn't work, is over 40, and waiting for "any number of major record labels to ink a deal" with him. Any day now. I tried to hire him for what would be a 10 minute job for someone purporting to be a general contractor, with tools and such. Two months later I gave up. With all the work I've had done at the house (all of which he's commented on, unsolicited), surely he realizes a missed opportunity when he sees one. But, when you're waiting for your record deal to come through, maybe being away from the land line phone for more than 10 minutes is a greater missed opportunity risk than earning a quick couple of bucks to replace a piece of fascia board.

So, the other weird thing I learned from my neighbor's child is that I should cut down the maple tree. The maple tree in my back yard is, according to the tree guy, a rare gem, becacuse it's over 100 years old. It's trunk is as massive as a great oak's. The downside is that, in spring, it sheds massive volumes of helicopter seeds that spread into that neighbor's yard. Earlier this month, I noticed that one of the gutters in that neighbor's yard was jam packed with 4 inches of maple sprout growth. I'm not an expert gardener, but I know enough about seeds to know that they have to have something to root in, to faciliate sprouting - and 4 inches of growth. My hunch is that gutter had at least a year's worth of other clog and buildup that provided the foundation for the maple seeds to grow.

This weekend, I noticed the gutter again looks normal. The neighbors probably got frustrated after having to clean them out. Anyway, I told the girl that it would look so ugly if I cut the maple tree down - there would just be an ugly stump, and isn't it better to have this pretty tree to look at that gives some shade to both of our yards? She thought so. I also mentioned that, as far as the seeds go, they see a lot - but not as many as what I see, since the tree is in my yard. And, even without the tree in my yard, there must be a hundred other maple trees in the area that shed seeds throughout the neighborhood. Surely she remembers that from all the springtimes that she's lived here from before I moved here. Plus, the tree is over 100 years old, which is rare for a maple, so it's a special tree that's lived longer than me or my parents or her or her parents and even older than her grandparents. I said all of this knowing that it would be immediately pipelined to mom and dad.

So, next time I see mom or dad, I think I'll mention that the one girl mentioned she's to refrain from visiting, but assure them that the kids are not a bother at all when they come to chat or sit on the porch swing - that I don't mind. It'd be interesting to see what the reaction is. There's a chance that the parents made comments along the lines of "don't bother the neighbor", so I'll remove that as a barrier proactively, and see what falls out. Not that I mind. Except when they were putting the cat in the mailbox. I didn't like that very much, but I suspect that cat was especially perturbed.